The present invention relates to a concept enabling any bottles or packs (2) made of plastic or of any other material, of any shape, capacity, colour and consistency, to fit snugly into one another before or after use by a system which will be described, or any other system enabling this end to be achieved. Stacking after use facilitates collection for recycling purposes. Stacking before use enables bottles or packs (2) to be manufactured on one site and sent to the bottling plants at a rate of about 50,000 B/m3. The bottlers will then only have a small investment to make in a filling and sealing machine.
The originality of this invention compared with the prior art which enables containers to be stacked is that optimum use of the content of the bottle or pack (2) is achieved due to the cap (3) and the pouring spout (6) which we have placed on the conventional seal (5) or top (1).
This cap (3) and pouring spout (6), by a technique developed by the inventor, can be placed in the centre of the conventional top (1) or seal (5), eccentrically or in any other position.
It can be heat-welded, stuck, sealed or assembled by any other contact technique.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,512 of Jun. 30, 1992 filed by Arthur J. O""LEARY relates to glasses which can be stacked after the screw-on top has been removed. There is no ease of pouring the content unless the top part is totally removed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,961 of Dec. 20, 1994 filed by Jack HARRIS, the containers are also stacked, the top is a removable capsule provided with a hole through which a straw or a graduated instrument is inserted. Such a hole does not give satisfaction for using the content.
In our concept, the recommended shape at the outset is conical, regular or progressive, which enables the bottles or packs (2) to be nested in one another by removing the top (1) as explained further on.
In FIG. 1, a shape can be seen which can be given to the bottle or pack (2), equipped with its top (1), whereon the pouring spout (6) and cap (3) are located.
FIG. 2 represents the same bottle where a conventional seal (5) with a pull-ring (7) is added.
In FIG. 3, we can see the stacking system on the plank (10).
In FIG. 4, the bottle or pack (2) of different shape, equipped with a conventional seal (5), whereon a cap (3) and pouring spout (6) are fitted. FIGS. 5 and 6.
Over all or part of the height, the bottle or pack (2) can be smooth or comprise grooves or patterns which give the bottle or pack (2) its strength.
The top (1:) is fixed onto the bottle or pack (2) by any known means enabling tightness to be achieved, for example the top part of the bottle or pack (2) can be thread-cut in the same way as the cap (3) or be extracted by any known means (cutting wire or other, rip-off plastic, clipping, cover bayonet).
The top is extracted in such a way as to enable the empty bottles or packs (2) to be inserted in one another.
This system enables storage directly on the user""s premises with a considerable saving of space. He can place these bottles or packs (2) on the plank (10) provided for this purpose.
Circular holes with a single or concentric thread, universal clipping system or other, are drilled in this plank (10). This plank (10) can be designed for two holes, up to pallets of 100 holes for collective bodies.
For handling and transport, a plate comprising impressions corresponding to the tops of the bottles or packs (2) is provided at the top of the stack.
For protection of the caps (3), it will be the impression of the caps.
An example of storage of 100 bottles or packs (2) will have overall dimensions of 1.30 metres in height for a diameter of 9 cm. The thickness of this cylinder will be about 3 cm. This cylinder becomes extremely strong and will be able to be used after heating for filling with any material, posts for building and public works, for running cables after holes have been drilled, for making fences, for storing products or waste, and for miscellaneous uses, thus enabling recycling without pollution or dumping.
By heating to a temperature close to the melting temperature, the volume of the plastic cylinders decreases producing a compact block without gas or ashes being dispersed.
The use of thermosetting plastic material results in a hard mass being obtained able to be used as raw material.
For collective bodies, the pallets can have a size of 1 mxc3x971 m with the system of the plank (10), these 1 m3 pallets can receive from 8,000 to 100,000 stackable bottles or packs (2) depending on their shape and the thread-cut of their top part.
Each user can thus achieve:
space saving,
time saving,
savings on transport,
recycling without waste emission.
NB: the bottles in their initial form represent an overall space occupation of 300 B/m3;
By manual compacting: 1,500 B/m3
With this concept: from 8,000 to 100,000 B/m3.
One feature of the invention is that the product is made up of two parts:
1) A bottle or pack (2), containing a liquid or other product, closed by a conventional seal (5), such as for example a metal can containing beverages.
2) A top (1) able to cover the top part of the bottle or pack (2) with a means enabling tightness to be achieved. The top (1) having on top of it a pouring spout (6) which can be closed by a cap (3). This assembly is then used as an ordinary bottle by opening the cap (3) and pouring.
When the bottle or pack (2) is empty, the user separates the top (1), which he can keep for use on a new bottle or pack (2).
An empty bottle or pack (2) can then, if it has been given a conical shape, be stacked in other bottles or packs (2), thus enabling easy storage of this waste product by stacking.